Jabesh-gilead

Jabesh-gilead is a settlement named in 20 verses of the Bible. It is most likely identified with Tell el Maqlub (medium confidence; 2 other proposals below).

Location

Where scholars place it, most confident first. Confidence is OpenBible.info's score from the sources it surveys; it is not this site's judgment.

Verses

Judges

• Judges 21:8
  And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the Lord? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabesh–gilead to the assembly.So they asked, “Which one of the tribes of Israel failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah?” And, in fact, no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to the camp for the assembly.
• Judges 21:9
  For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh–gilead there.For when the people were counted, none of the residents of Jabesh-gilead were there.
• Judges 21:10
  And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh–gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.So the congregation sent 12,000 of their most valiant men and commanded them: “Go and put to the sword those living in Jabesh-gilead, including women and children.
• Judges 21:12
  And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh–gilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.So they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young women who had not had relations with a man, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.
• Judges 21:14
  And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh–gilead: and yet so they sufficed them not.And at that time the Benjamites returned and were given the women who were spared from Jabesh-gilead. But there were not enough women for all of them.
• Judges 21:22
  And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favourable unto them for our sakes: because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war: for ye did not give unto them at this time, that ye should be guilty.When their fathers or brothers come to us to complain, we will tell them, ‘Do us a favor by helping them, since we did not get wives for each of them in the war. Since you did not actually give them your daughters, you have no guilt.’”

1 Samuel

• 1 Samuel 10:27
  But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.But some worthless men said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him and brought him no gifts; but Saul remained silent about it.
• 1 Samuel 11:1
  Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh–gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.Soon Nahash the Ammonite came up and laid siege to Jabesh-gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.”
• 1 Samuel 11:3
  And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days’ respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee.“Hold off for seven days,” replied the elders of Jabesh, “and let us send messengers throughout Israel. If there is no one to save us, we will surrender to you.”
• 1 Samuel 11:5
  And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.Just then Saul was returning from the field, behind his oxen. “What troubles the people?” asked Saul. “Why are they weeping?” And they relayed to him the words of the men from Jabesh.
• 1 Samuel 11:9
  And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh–gilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.So they said to the messengers who had come, “Tell the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Deliverance will be yours tomorrow by the time the sun is hot.’” And when the messengers relayed this to the men of Jabesh, they rejoiced.
• 1 Samuel 11:10
  Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.Then the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Tomorrow we will come out, and you can do with us whatever seems good to you.”
• 1 Samuel 31:11
  And when the inhabitants of Jabesh–gilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul;When the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,
• 1 Samuel 31:12
  All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth–shan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.all their men of valor set out, journeyed all night, and retrieved the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth-shan. When they arrived at Jabesh, they burned the bodies there.
• 1 Samuel 31:13
  And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.

2 Samuel

• 2 Samuel 2:4
  And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabesh–gilead were they that buried Saul.Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”
• 2 Samuel 2:5
  And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh–gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the Lord, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him.So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead to tell them, “The LORD bless you, because you showed this kindness to Saul your lord when you buried him.
• 2 Samuel 21:12
  And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh–gilead, which had stolen them from the street of Beth–shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa:he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the men of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the public square of Beth-shan where the Philistines had hung the bodies after they had struck down Saul at Gilboa.

1 Chronicles

• 1 Chronicles 10:11
  And when all Jabesh–gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,When the people of Jabesh-gilead heard about everything the Philistines had done to Saul,
• 1 Chronicles 10:12
  They arose, all the valiant men, and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.all their men of valor set out and retrieved the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh. And they buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh and fasted seven days.

Notes

1. Locations from the OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding Data, CC BY 4.0. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
2. Verses are those where at least one of ten English translations names this place, per OpenBible.info.